As egg prices cool off, bacon is now sizzling, with nearly 20% price hikes since last year. According to grocery price data from NIQ, the average price of pork bacon jumped 18% between May 2023 and May 2024, with a 5.7% increase from April to May alone, reports NBC News. And while bacon prices already have a reputation for volatility, industry observers suggest this latest spike may not be temporary.
Jim Eadie of Swineweb.com points to a mix of factors behind the rise: tariffs, higher wages, supply and demand shifts, and increased production costs. "It's just the cost of doing business," Eadie said. The AP lays out other possible contributors, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which jacked wheat and corn prices, making it more expensive to raise pigs.
California's Proposition 12, which requires minimum living standards for farm animals, is also cited as a contributor. In the Golden State, a pound of bacon can top $7. In contrast, Dallas shoppers are paying just over $4 for the same amount. Meanwhile, egg prices are now trending down. May saw a 6.6% drop from April, though prices remain up 41% from a year ago.
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So how does all of this affect the price of that coveted breakfast staple, the BEC (bacon-egg-cheese) sandwich? Bloomberg notes that the price of the sandwich has reached record highs, and can serve as a gauge of sorts on "inflation, supply and demand, and the complexities of financial markets." (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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